Teilhard de Chardin―Seven Stages of Suffering: A Spiritual Path for Transformation

by Louis M. Savary, Patricia H. Berne

Despite the fact that tremendous strides have been made to reduce human suffering and efforts to alleviate human anguish continue onward, we are still living in an unfinished, evolving world filled with pain, frustration, loss, grief, and adversity. Based on the spirituality of Teilhard de Chardin, this book addresses the question: How are those who suffer called to live with and understand their pain? This book shows how it is possible that those who suffer can, by transforming the tremendous potential energy hidden in their pain, become coworkers with God in bringing our world to more fullness of life, even as they suffer. With the new spirituality presented in Teilhard de ChardinSeven Stages of Suffering, one realizes that the very principle and purpose of human life on Earth has shifted from a traditional focus on saving your soul and getting to heaven, to one of contributing one's whole life and effortsincluding our suffering and painto God's grand evolutionary project.

128 pages, Paperback

First published November 3, 2015

Reviews

[Charles Lewis · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was great disappointing. I have been suffering with intense spinal pain for nine years and to top it off I was diagnosed with incurable liver cancer in February. I know a bit about de Chardin so when I saw this title it gave me a lot of hope. There is a bit of information in here that is helpful, such as suffering takes energy and that energy can be offered up to help someone or some thing. The problem is this idea is repeated, and repeated and repeated for reasons that have to be due to bad editing. There is another problem. When discussing suffering the authors will say there is more than one kind of suffering and then go on to list them. Why? It felt like this was intended for a Grade 7 class. Children: can anyone name a disease or tell me why your Daddy is depressed? This happens throughout the book. I'm glad I didn't buy this in the more expensive printed edition.

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting approach to suffering that converts the suffering into energy for the good of the world.